Just the Way You Are
by Rogue Tomato
Summary: As the team celebrates Governor Jameson's re-election, a song reminds Danny of his wedding day.   Obviously now AU due to the finale.   Quick one-shot cross-posted to LiveJournal.


"Here you go guys." The waitress went around the table, distributing a round of drinks to the Hawaii Five-0 task force. "This round is on the house," she said with a smile toward Steve.

Steve smiled. Danny rolled his eyes. Chin and Kono shared a laugh.

"Seriously, Casanova, I can't take you anywhere." Danny said, taking a long drink.

Steve only grinned. "To the Governor!" He raised his glass and his teammates followed suit. Governor Jameson had been elected to her second term in a landslide victory and the team decided to celebrate. They each knew that without her support, they wouldn't be together today.

They sat a long while, enjoying each other's company. Steve re-living exciting (and non-classified) missions he'd been on. Chin sharing stories about his football-playing days in high school. Kono giving a play-by-play about blowing out her knee while surfing. Danny telling tales about life in New Jersey.

"And then this guy, who was, by the way, about six-five," he paused to laugh, illustrating the vast height difference between himself and the perp he was chasing, "he literally trips over this…"

Danny stopped mid-sentence, hands suspended in mid-air. He shifted in his seat to look behind him. He sat quietly for a moment, finally turning back to the group. His hands lowered and he finished off his drink. Seeing his friends looking at him, he cleared his throat. "Another round?"

Steve lifted an eyebrow and gave him a quizzical look. "Okay Danny, what was that all about?"

"Hmm?" was all Danny could say.

"That…." Steve continued, gesturing with his hands towards Danny. "Whatever that was. You zoned out a minute."

"Oh, I uh…" he paused, trying to clear his head. "It was nothing. Nothing." He motioned for the waitress to send over another round.

"C'mon brah, out with it," Kono said, giving Danny a playful shove. He held up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Geesh, rookie," he smiled back. "It's just, uh…" he paused, listening once again to the music emanating from the juke box behind him. "It's this song. It was our song."

They sat in silence for a moment, contemplating what Danny had told them. Steve was the first to speak up. "What, you and Rachel?"

Danny nodded. He sat a moment, his memories coming back to him in a flood now. He hadn't thought of that day in a long, long time. In fact, he tried not to if he could help it. But every once in awhile something would trigger his memory and he'd be back in New Jersey on that warm, spring day. The smell of flowers. The feel of grass between his feet. Hell, even a lady wearing a white dress sometimes brought him back.

They all sat and listened to the words of the song over the constant hum of voices in the bar.

_I would not leave you in times of trouble,_

_We never could have come this far…_

Danny couldn't help himself. He smiled. "We got married in the spring. In the gardens at Frelinghuysen Arboretum."

Steve made a face and Danny turned to him. "What?"

"Nothing!" Steve replied defensively. Danny glared at his partner, prompting Steve to continue. "Okay! It's just… I kind of had you pegged for a Justice of the Peace kind of guy."

Danny glared a moment then his face softened. "Well, you've never met my mother."

_I took the good times, I'll take the bad times._

_I take you just the way you are._

"Plus," Danny continued, accepting the new round of drinks happily from the waitress, "Rachel wanted an outdoor wedding." He drank and then started to fidget with the label on his bottle. "I never really could say no to her."

There was a moment's silence as the team sat awkwardly. Danny always wore his heart on his sleeve and constantly spoke what was on his mind. But this was the first time he had opened up this much about his past with Rachel. Danny wasn't sure himself what was making him reveal so much. He felt oddly at peace now, and comfortable enough with his friends that it just came easily. Maybe he needed to get it off his chest after so long.

Or maybe it was the booze.

There seemed to be a lull in conversation everywhere around the bar as if everyone was listening in on Danny's story. He could hear the music louder than before and it brought back such emotion, he surprised himself when he continued.

_You always have my unspoken passion,_

_Although I might not seem to care…_

"It wasn't a big wedding by any means. My family was there, of course. Rachel's parents flew in from England, plus her two brothers. We had some friends come too, but it wasn't a big deal." Rachel in her dress, smiling at him as she walked down the aisle. Danny waiting so nervously at the other end… He remembered the trees… cherry blossoms everywhere. The wind blowing the pedals down around them like you see in the movies. Rachel kept picking pink flowers out of her hair, but Danny had told her to leave them...

"It had cost me an arm and a leg. I think half a year's salary when it was all said and done."

"Aren't the bride's parents supposed to pay for the wedding," Chin asked curiously.

Danny laughed. "Oh, you haven't met Rachel's parents! No, their _gift_ to us was coming to the wedding."

_I just want someone that I can talk to,_

_I want you just the way you are._

"But, uh… it was nice." Danny swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had formed in his throat.

"It sounds wonderful," Kono replied softly. Danny smiled. "Did you have a reception afterwards?"

"Yeah, we did. We stayed in the garden. Had a big tent set up. A floor for dancing. Food, drinks, the whole bit." Danny smiled again, remembering it all like it was yesterday. His parents beaming at him. His sisters giving him a hard time for losing his shoes right before the ceremony. Rachel looking radiant under the lights. Matty's best man speech…

Danny bit his lip to stop it from trembling, and then took another drink.

Steve clasped a hand on Danny's shoulder and Danny turned. Steve was grinning that goofy grin that Danny hated. "Who knew you were such a softie, Danny?"

He rolled his eyes. Steve could read Danny like an open book, and for once Danny was thankful for it. He knew his partner was trying to lighten up the mood. Thinking of happier times with Rachel brought an ache to Danny's heart. The way things had ended up… the fights, the divorce, everything… it was hard to imagine that he was ever truly happy with her. But he was. Blindly, truly, completely happy.

Even if it was short-lived, he knew in his heart he wouldn't trade it for anything.

He sighed, remembering a conversation not unlike this one a few years back with Matty. Together they had re-lived the wedding and reception and beautiful bliss that had come after. But now he was gone too.

_I need to know that you will always be,_

_The same old someone that I knew…_

Danny looked around at his friends. He was so thankful for each of them. Thankful for Chin and his level-headedness and calm demeanor. Thankful for Kono and her energy and eagerness to prove herself in a man's profession. He was even thankful for Steve, despite of his recklessness, bullheadedness, shoot first and ask questions later attitude…

"Yeah, well, when you and your Rambo-ette get married, we'll see who the softie is then."

Steve dropped his hand from Danny's shoulder. "Whoah, whoah! I don't know about that, Danno."

Danny laughed. "You'll see. You think you're all tough and macho, but one look at your beautiful bride and you'll melt just like everyone else."

"If you say so, man."

The team shared a laugh then began to wrap it up. It was getting late and the week had been a long one. Steve told them all to sleep in tomorrow morning, telling each of them he didn't want to see them until after lunch. Chin and Kono set off, waiving to Steve and Danny as they left. Danny hung back, still seated at the table, finishing up his last beer. Steve sat back down. He looked at his partner and could see that he was still lost in thought. Steve admitted to himself that he knew nothing about romantic relationships. The few he had tended to be passionate, but short-lived. It came with the job. Danny had tried to make his work, but it hadn't. And Steve knew that to be a sore spot for him still.

"You still love her, don't you?"

Danny turned very slowly and looked his partner in the face. Steve braced for what he was sure to be an explosion, but was surprised to see Danny's face soften, and then frown. He shrugged.

_I said I love you, and that's forever._

_And this I promise from the heart._

"That's a tough question to answer, Steven."

Danny finished his drink and then stood. Steve took the sign that the conversation was over and stood up too. They paid the tab and headed out the parking lot in silence. Steve kept shooting Danny quick glances, afraid that he'd upset his friend. But Danny seemed content with the silence, his face not betraying any anger or resentment.

Danny reached his car first. He unlocked it and then turned to his partner who was heading toward his truck. "So, tomorrow then?"

Steve stopped and turned. "Tomorrow."

Danny nodded, then slipped into his seat. Waiting to make sure Steve got to his truck okay, he started the ignition and turned on the radio. He didn't really pay attention to what the song was, but he turned up the volume anyway, wanting a distraction from all the memories still plaguing his mind.

_I just want someone that I can talk to,_

_I want you just the way you are._


End file.
